West Indies Cricket team is set to arrive in The United Kingdom on Tuesday, for a three-match Test series against England. This is a boost for international cricket as it restarts post the global pandemic Coronavirus shutdown. England skipper Joe Root said about West Indies’ decision to travel for the series,” It must be extremely scary and I think the whole cricketing world will be grateful to see some (live) cricket again.”

Matches to be played behind closed doors:
The test matches won’t be played in front of fans at the usual venues like the Oval, Lord’s or Edgaston, instead all the three matches will be played at the more “bio-secure” Ageas Bowl and Old Trafford, behind closed doors, without any fans. The three-match series was originally scheduled to be played from June but because of the pandemic will now start on July 8.

Strict health measures to be undertaken:
Ageas Bowl in Hampshire will stage the first match and the other two will be held at Old Trafford in Manchester. International Cricket Council along with England Cricket Board (ECB) have issued guidelines for the safety of the players and coaching staff. The players will have to stay in the hotel facility located on the two grounds in a protective bubble and not far away from the ground. Repeated tests will be carried out on the players and staff. A ban on applying saliva to aid swing is set to an official in Wednesday’s ICC meeting.

West Indies’ cricket team will arrive in England and will adhere to the 14-day quarantine at the Old Trafford facility and also train there only before heading south for the first test.